Pipe repair clamp



June 23, 1953 'r. SMITH PIPE REPAIR CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1951 INVENTOR. TELFORD L. SMITH A 7' Tom/Er June 23, 1953 T. L. SMITH PIPE REPAIR CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1951 INVENTOR. TELFORD L. SMITH 328 3//'{; 303 329' 3219 I4 BWM Z6 A TTORNEY Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE REPAIR CLAMP Telford L. Smith, South San Francisco, Calif.

Application December 11, 1951, Serial No. 261,011

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved clamp for repairing pipes and preventing leaks therefrom, particularly at the joint where two pieces of pipe are coupled together.

In many instances pipes must be repaired while they are leaking or at other inconvenient times, and the work must be done quickly. Also it is often necessary to put on a clamp or to seal a coupling of two joined pipe sections without unjoining them or moving the pipe.

Neither inventors nor the industry has been able so far to provide a satisfactory solution for these problems. Clamps heretofore in use have either had to be slipped around the end of the pipe or have been made up of a number of pieces that have had to be aligned and held together by hand until the bolts that secured them were inserted and fastened in place. Furthermore, the gaskets in prior art clamps and couplings did not fit tightly enough against the pipes or the joints and did not prevent leaks.

The present invention has solved these and other problems by providing a novel clamp whose elements are quickly assembled around a pipe and, when assembled, hold themselves together in correct alignment even before bolts are put on. In

fact, the bolts serve mainly to tighten the gasket against the pipe walls and to seal pipe J'unctures against leaks.

The clamp which has produced these important new results includes six main pieces: a pair of identical half-sleeves, and two pairs of half-collars. The half-sleeves extend longitudinally along the pipe and have a plurality of projecting fingers at each end. These fingers fit into openings that extend axially through the half-collars which span the division in the sleeves and automatically align and hold together both the halfsleeves and the half-collars. By this novel arrangement the sleeves hold the collars together, and the collars hold the sleeves together.

In combination with the clamp is a novel form of gasket that is preferably split by an oblique slit so that it can be spread apart and quickly placed around the pipe. When the clamp is in place, the gasket is tightened by inserting a plurality of bolts longitudinally between the two pairs of collars, parallel to the half-sleeves and then tightening the nuts on them.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments presented in accordance with U. S. Revised Statutes, Section 4888. The invention, however, is not intended to be limited narrowly to the details herein shown specifically,

and the scope of the invention is to be gathered from the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one preferred form of an assembled clamp embodying the principles of the invention. The clamp shown is adapted for installation around the juncture of two pieces of drive pipe.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the juncture of two pieces of drive pipe with the clamp installed therearound. Only a portion of each pipe is shown, so that space may be conserved.

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the pair of half -'s1eeves fitted together.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective showing a pair of the half-collars fitted together.

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a gasket which may be used in the clamp to surround the outer wall of the inner drive pipe.

Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of a gasket which may be used in the clamp to go around the outer wall of the outer drive pipe.

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of a one-piece gasket having two different-diameter portions and adapted to lie inside a clamp surrounding both the inner and outer drive pipes at their juncture.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in section showing a portion of a modified form of clamp and gasket involving the principles of this invention and installed around a bell-and-spigot joint.

Fig. 10 is a View similar to Fig. 9 showing a portion of another modified form of coupling repair member installed around the juncture of two pieces of pipe that are secured together by a screw coupling sleeve.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Figs. 9 and 10 showing a portion of another modified form of the coupling repair member installed around the juncture of two pieces of spigot end pipe or plain end pipe.

Thi invention can be used with many different types of pipe, some changes in details being made to accommodate the differences in the pipe ends. As examples of what may be done, four diiierent modified forms of clamp are shown and described. Still other forms and installations are possible. For example, the clamp may be used with a single gasket around the middle of a piece of pipe instead of the more difiicult juncture of two pipes.

Clamp for a drive-pipe juncture-(Figs. 1-8) Fig. 2 shows portions of two lengths ID and II of drive pipe coupled together by driving the smaller end I2 of the piece It into the larger end I3 of the piece II. This type of coupling often leaks through the juncture point I4 between the pipe end I3 and the wall of the pipe Ill. The present invention is a clamp and-gasket structure designed to prevent such leaks. It may be installed at the time the pipe is first joined together or at a later time after a leak has de: veloped. In either instance, a gasket or pair of gaskets are first placed around the pipes i6 and II; the clamp is placed aronnd the gasket or gaskets; and the clamp is used to tighten the gaskets against the pipe walls. gince the outer diameter of the pipe I near the juncture I4 is necessarily smaller than the outer diameter of the pipe I I, the gasket or gaskets must accommodate this difference in diameters. TWO general types of structure will do this. Qne of them is the two-piece gasket assembly I5, I I5 shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 7, and the other is the one piece gasket 20 shown in Fig. 8.

In the two-piece assembly, the gaskets {5, I5 are made with their outer diameters substantially equal, but with their inner diameters different-the resilient gasket I5 (Figs. 2 and 6) Which fits around the smaller pipe III being thicker than the resilient gasket I6 (Figs. 2 and 7 which fits around the larger :pipe II, The gas.- kets I5 and I6 are preferably both split obliquely at I] and I8 in order that they may be spread apart and put around an already installed pipe. P e era y the asket mem ers l5 a d ab eeeh ether at I9 us there hemes ih e lre l!- ?h eehet 20 Fi e- 3) eek a pro im t the same as the gaskets I5 I6 when it is installed. It comprises a single piece of resilient m ial i h h iter sur e f un o ameter. Inside it has two integrallyeconnected difier nt ihhe e e eier hemehs 22 Whi h ioi at a sheh de '24- e hi knes o the shoulder '24 -is approximately equal to the ih elshese e t e pine B Spreading t e lii r .9 ea t i e 'the hlfi h h 2.5. ir a'y be w a p d areund' h P e l0 an l t e h'e lde 24 then ehh ti s the pi e end" and ealin the juncture I4. Thethin-walled gasket portion 23 then eh ire es he oute pine H, a d thethie Wel es rer ieh 2 'eheirelee h ine! Either form of gasket, when installed, is then 'encircledbya clamp-30 andtighteneid into a tight sealing position, The clamp 3'0 include'ssix'main members: a pair of haif-sleeves3l and-32; and

two -pairsef half c'ollar membe'rs33, 34, 35 andf36.

The half-sleeves -3I and 32 are identical, with semi-cylindrical shells '40 that fit around the outer surface of the gasket. At each endof e'ach shell 40 a plurality of fingers 4| and 42-project beyond recessed portions 43. The fingers AI, 42 lie around the sleeve'ends 'at regular intervals, which are preferably spaced so that the fingers 42 (which lie along the axial edges 44 Where-the halfesleeves 3|, 32 abut each other) are exactly halfas wide as the fingers 4!. The fingers 42, 42 that abut when the sleeves 3| and :32 are asseme bled wh n taken eseth r. e nst hu h exa ale in i e and ee i o ne u -s zed fin r L.

The half.-collar s 33, 34, 35 and 36 for the drivepipe clamp '30 may be identical, semi-annular with an inner axial flange 4 5 and a radial flange 46. The inner diameter of each assembled end collar 33, 34 or 35, 3G is approximately the same as, or

only slightly greater than, the outside diameter of the outer pipe I I or the inside diameter of the gasket portions I6 or 23. The axial flanges 45 preferably terminate in sloping shoulders 41 that abut similarly sloped shoulders 48 on the gaskets.

The radial flanges 46 are perforated by a plurality of openings 50 which receive the fingers 4| and 42. As shown in Fig. 5, the openings 50 are spaced regularly around the radial flanges 46 and their perimeters are fully closednone of the openings 50 being an open-end slot or a halfsi'ze opening. This means that when the halfcollars 33, 34, 35, 36 are installed on the halfsleeves 3|, 32, the axial edges 5|, 52, 53, 54 where the hQ l'ffQQflfllS abut lie at different angular positions from the axial edges 44 where the halfsleeves 3|, 32 abut (see Figs, 1, 3, 4, and 5). Thus whenthe collar 33 is installed, one slot 5|] will hold together two half fingers 42, 42, thereby l nk n to th he two slee e 3t 32- ne end 5' of the ha -eo lar 33 n e' a s he h l s eeve 5'! nd h oth en hes a a n the half-sleeve 32. Similarly, when the half-collar s4 is insta l d. ne of s ends 52 will he QVer eac f the ha -s eeves 3 3 and ne of i slots 50 will hold together the'other two halfsized fingers 4 2, .42. The half-collars 35, 33 are then installed around the opposite end of the half-sleeves SI, 32,preferably being placed so that their abutting axial edges '53, 54 no at a different angnlar position from either the edges .44 or the edges 5I, 52. Thus the half-collars '33, 34 and 35, 35 hold the half s'leeves 31, 32 together, and the sleeves, in turn, hold the collars together, and the meshing of the fingers 41, 42 in the openings assur s eee 'e e alignment.

I The installation of the clamp 30 is then completed by tightening it, so as to compress the gaskets. To accomplish this, a series of bolts 55 are passed through full sized openings 56 and abutting pairs of half-sized openings 5'! in the aqial'hahe 4 9 t e e he l r 3 3 35 35- Th olt '5 r i h en d by mea s of nu s 58- "Bilge to the facts that; (r) the two half sleeves '3 I,

32 are identieal, (2') the four halI-coilars 33, 5 35 a e dent ca nd 3 h 'h l o n n s 56. 51am; th fin er-r ce vin o en e f ll i r e' ed regularly about the half-collars, there is never n eiiihe lt n insert n and ali n n t e ol 55 or in putting on the nuts 58 and tightenin them. I

The inward pressure of the-bo1ts 55 causes the slo in h u d rs :41 t pressin a ai st th epns iae s l of the easketsx s e'u i sthe ash ste sehl' iehi r hd he-li es I 0 nd 1H n emuhd he nin ihh 'h 1' "Ifo summarize the assembly and operation of the clamp 3n: th s e ifl er t e p i of gaskets a d. were fi st a p d hr hhd h W d II by sp ad ng, them apart at the slits '23 or n and it. Thenthehalf-sieeves an and a:

'are placed around'the gasket or gaskets with the hal -fing rs '4 utt n a li n d, e en One half-collar '33 is placed over one end of the half-sleeves (H, 32 soas toengage two half=fingers 4; in a'sin le hole 5;] and thereby hold-thehalli- "sleeve together. Then the mating halfollared is installed over theother half vof the same end. The operation is then repeated at the other end of the half-sleeves 3i, 32by'installing the'halfcollars35, 35. Then the bolts 55are inserted and ten by ea s m" the nu 58. e a a flanges 45 compress the gaskets I5and I6-or the asket 20 a p e e 'an leek fro c rr n through the pipe juncture I4. The inclined off first the collars, then the sleeves, and finally v the gaskets.

Clamp for bell and spigot juncture 9 shows a modified form of clamp Iilil adapted to fit around a bell-and-spigot type of pipe juncture. The pipes Ill! and I02 are joined by inserting the spigot end H13 of the pipe lfil into the bell ltd of the pipe I02.

A gasket ilfi, preferably of the split-ring type, encircles the pipe Ifii and abuts the bell lil l, closing the space I85 between the bell I02 and the spigot W3. Preferably the gaskets inner face I i l is vertical and its outer face !!2 is inclined.

The clamp Itfi encircles the gasket I!!! and includes a pair of identical half-sleeves I20 that differ from the half-sleeves 3!, 32 only in length and diameter. Fingers I2! and half-size fingers (not shown) project from each end of the halfsleeves Itii, in exactly the same way that the fingers ii and :32 projected from the half-sleeves ti, 32.

The half-sleeves I26 are held together by two pairs of ha1f-collars. One pair of identical halfcollars I25 fits around the bell Iil l, while the other pair of identical half-collars I26 fits around the pipe to I, so that although the outer diameters of the half-collars i293, I26 are the same, their inside diameters are necessarily different. The half-collar 525 has an axial flange I2? sloped to fit around the outside of the bell IM and to engage the bells fiange I23. The collar I28 has an axial. flange i253 with an angularly inclined lip I39 which abuts the face N2 of the gasket Hit. Both half-collars I25, I25 have radial flanges It i, with openings I33, Hi to receive the fingers i2l and the two adjoining half-fingers (not shown) of the half-sleeves I26. Bolts (not shown) similar to the bolts 55 may be installed and used to tighten the gasket Hill in place.

Like the clamp 36 shown in Figs. 1 through 8, the clamp Illil of Fig. 9 is installed by first putting on the gasket Iiil. Then, if desired, the sleeves E20 may be placed around the bell 594 and the collars i225, tilt placed over their ends, the openings i133, ltd holding the fingers 12!. When the bolts (not shown) are tightened, the lip Itll forces the gasket lIEi tightly against the lip I56 of the bell ltd and efficiently prevents leakage.

Clamp for screw-coupling Fig. iii shows a modified form of clamp 2% applied to a screw-coupling type of pipe juncture. In this case the pipes 28! and 262 have threaded ends 'Btt that are held together by a threaded sleeve 2%. The threads at 203, 204 may run in opposite directions so that the sleeve 205 can be tightened simultaneously on both pipes 28!, 2&2, but the clamp 2% of this invention will work whether this is the case or not.

Preferably two substantially identical gaskets 2m and iii! are used. Each of these may be a split ring, preferably with vertical inner faces 2l2, 2M and inclined outer faces 2, 2!5.

The clamp 20!) includes a pair of identical halfsleeves 22h having projecting full-sized fingers 22I and half-sized fingers (not shown) at each end. The half-sleeves 220 are like the halfsleeves 3i and 32, except for differences in length and diameter.

Two pairs of identical half-collars 225 are used,

one pair being installed on each end of the half sleeves 220. Each half-collar 225 has a radial flange 226 pierced by a plurality of openings 22'! adapted to receive the fingers 22! or two adjoining half-fingers (not shown). The collar halves 225 also have axial flanges 230 whose inner lips 23! are preferably inclined and abut the inclined faces 2M, 2! 5 of the gaskets 2!!) and 2! so as to aid in tightening the gaskets 2H], 2!! when the bolts (not shown) are applied.

Clamp for spigot end pipe Fig. 11 shows a clamp 300 secured around a pair of spigot-end pipes. Cement-asbestos pipes are often made in this manner. Around the place where the two pipes 30! and 302 abut or almost abut, is a split gasket 3), which is preferably recessed at 30 1 to receive a split ring 303 of malleable metal. Preferably the ring 303 is bonded to the resilient gasket 3!!) before the installation. The ring 303 prevents the ends of the pipes 30!, 302 from damaging the gasket BIB when the clamp is tightened. In place of a split gasket, a two-piece gasket may be used.

The clamp 3%!) includes a pair of identical sleeve halves 320 with projecting fingers 32! and half-sized fingers (not shown) at the edges. Two identical pairs of identical collar halves 325 have radial flanges 326 provided with openings 32? that receive the fingers 32!. The half collars 325 also have axial flanges 328 whose inclined lips 329 lie against the inclined outer faces 3!! and 3I2 of the gasket em. The gasket 3!!l is compressed when the clamp is tightened by bolts not shown.

Other types of installation are possible but the foregoing examples are believed to be sufficient to illustrate the principles involved. In general, there is a gasket comprising one or more parts, a pair of half-sleeves having projecting fingers on their outer axial ends and having half-sized fingers along the edges so they will abut each other when the half-sleeves are joined together. When the two half-sleeves abut, there is a full circle of regularly-spaced projecting fingers substantially identical in size and shape. In every form of the invention, the half-sleeves are held together by two pairs of half collars, each member of either pair being identical whether or not the two pairs are identical. The collar halves fit around the ends of the half-sleeves and have axial openings which receive the axial fingers and half-fingers and serve to hold the half-sleeves together. At the same time the fingers hold the half-collars together. In each instance there is preferably an axial flange on the collar half which serves to compress the gasket when the clamp is tightened by means of axially-extending bolts that join the two pairs of collars.

Iclaim:

1. A device for repairing or coupling pipes, including in combination a pair of identical, semicylindrical sleeves having at each end a series of evenly spaced projecting fingers substantially identical in size and shape except for a pair of half-sized fingers that are on the edge where the two sleeves abut, the two abutting half-sized fingers forming together a finger substantially identical in size with the full sized fingers and spaced regularly in respect to them; two pairs of semi-cylindrical collars each having a radial flange and an axial flange, the collars of each pair being identical, said radial flange having openings adapted to receive said fingers, all said openings being full sized openings and being inset from the edge so that none or the openings are open-end slots, said radial flange also having a plurality of 'bolt openings, said axial flange having an inclined inner lip; gasket means adapted to fit inside said sleeve and having inclined outer faces that bear against the inclined lips of said axial flanges and means urging the pair of collars at one end'of said sleeve in toward the opposite pair of collars to compress said gasket means therebetween.

2. The device of claim .1 in which the gasket means are split andannular.

3. The device of claim 2 in'w'hich 'thegasket mean comprises two split annuli or identical outer diameter but different inner diameters, so that they can seal tightly against a drlvegp'ipe joint.

4, The device of claim 2 in which the gasket means comprises a single split annulus or uniform outer diameter and having two portions of different interior diameter that abut at a'fiat circular shoulder.

5. A device for repairing or coupling pipes including in combination a pair of identical semicylindrical sleeves having at each end a series of evenly spaced-apart projecting fingers substantially identical in size and shape except for ta pair of half-sized fingers at each of the edges where the sleeves abut so that thetwo abutting sleeves form together :a cylindrical sleeve and the abutting fingers'then form a finger substantially identical in size with the full sized fingers; two identical pairs of split collars each having a radial flange and an axial flange, said radial flansehavin openings adapted to r e said fingers, all said openings being full sized openings and being inset rrom the edge so that none of the penings are o ennd. sl ts, said radialfiange also having a plurality of bolt openings, said axial flan e havin an c ined er f asket means adapted to'fit inside said sleeve and having inclined outer faces that bear against the inclined lips of sa d axial .fianges; and bolts extend g longitud nally we n a d la s a iorci g them inwardly a ainst said gas e means.

6- A devi e .i r r pair n or couplin pipes neluding in combina io apair of comp eme ary sleeve members, having at each end a. series of regularly spaced projecting fingers substantially identical in size and having at their abutting edges complementary members that when they abut form a finger of the same size and at the same regular spacing as the other fingers; a pair of complementary collar members adapted to fit on each end of said sleeve, each collar having a radial flange and an axial flange, said radial flange having openings adapted to receive said fingers and also having a plurality of bolt openings at least one split annular gasket adapted to fit inside said sleeve to bear against said axial flanges; and a plurality of bolts urging said collars in toward'each other.

7. A device for repairing or coupling pipes including in combination a plurality of complementary sleeve members having at each end a series of regularly spaced apart projecting fingers; and two complementary collar members each having a radial flange and an axial flange, said radial flange having openings adapted to receive said fingers.

8. A device for repairing or coupling pipes including in combination a plurality of complementary sleeve members having at each end a series of regularly spaced apart projecting fingers; two groups of a plurality of complementary collar members each having a radial flange and an axial flange, said radial flange having openings adapted to receive said fingers and a plurality of bolt openings; gasket means adapted to fit inside said sleeve and with its ends bearing against said axial flanges; and a plurality of bolts urging said collars in toward each other and against said gasket means.

TELFORD L. SMITH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 808,923 Herrick Jan. 2, 1906 2,551,695 Oddy May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 225,024 Switzerland Dec. 31. 1942 

